Methods and apparatus of media device detection for minimally invasive media meters

ABSTRACT

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for media crediting and, more particularly, methods and apparatus of media device detection for minimally invasive media meters. An example apparatus disclosed herein to detect media devices presenting media includes means for generating a cluster of media locations from a reference population of media locations based on media identifying information received from a presentation of media at an unidentified media device at a first media location, means for determining media devices available at the media locations in the cluster of media locations, means for identifying the unidentified media device based on (1) the media devices available at the media locations in the cluster of media locations and (2) an identity of a media device determined to be available in a majority of media locations in the cluster of media locations, and means for generating a report on the identity of the unidentified media device.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent arises from a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 16/984,084, now U.S. Pat. No. ______, filed on Aug. 3, 2020, whichis a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/674,297, nowU.S. Pat. No. 10,735,808, filed on Aug. 10, 2017. U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/984,084 and U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/674,297 are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates generally to media metering and, moreparticularly, to methods and apparatus of media device detection forminimally invasive media meters.

BACKGROUND

Media producers, media providers, advertisers, product manufacturesrepresented in advertisements, and many other entities utilizeinformation about the presentation of media. Such information is oftencollected through the use of panels comprised of persons (e.g.,panelists) who have agreed to have their exposure to media monitored.For example, audio of media may be transmitted with identifyinginformation (e.g., embedded watermarks or codes) that identifies themedia. Panelists may be supplied with meters (e.g., portable meterscarried and/or worn by the panelists) that collect the audio and extractthe identifying information. The information may be transmitted to acollection facility where the results from multiple panelists arecombined to generate reports comprising information about mediapresentation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an example environment in which a system for detecting a mediadevice with a minimally invasive media meter constructed with theteaching of this disclosure operates.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example implementation of the audiencemeasurement entity (AME) of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example implementation of the mediadevice analyzer of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an example cluster of media locations, whereat each medialocation in the cluster of media locations has received an example mediaidentifier XX-YYYY.

FIG. 5 is an example table listing the media identifiers received inaddition to the media devices available at each of the media locationsat the media location cluster illustrated in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart representative of example machine-readableinstructions that may be executed to implement the example media deviceanalyzer of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart representative of example machine-readableinstructions that may be executed to further implement the example mediadevice analyzer of FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an example processor platform capable ofexecuting the instructions of FIGS. 6 and/or 7 to implement the examplesystem of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the field of media metering, media is identified utilizing a mediameter to detect one or more audio or video characteristics (e.g., one ormore audio or video identifiers) of a media presentation and furthermapping (e.g., matching) the one or more characteristics to identifyinginformation (e.g., a program, an episode, a presentation period, etc.)of the media presentation. As used herein, the term “media” and “mediapresentation” are defined to mean the same and can include any type ofvideo and/or audio content and/or advertisement delivered via any typeof distribution medium. Thus, media includes television programming oradvertisements, radio programming or advertisements, movies, web sites,streaming media, etc. Example methods, apparatus, and articles ofmanufacture disclosed herein monitor media presentations at mediadevices. Such media devices may include, for example, Internet-enabledtelevisions, personal computers, Internet-enabled mobile handsets (e.g.,a smartphone), video game consoles (e.g., Xbox One®, Nintendo® Switch,PlayStation® 4), tablet computers (e.g., an iPad®), digital mediaplayers (e.g., a Roku® media player, a Slingbox®, an Apple TV®, etc.),etc.

In some examples, media monitoring information is aggregated todetermine ownership and/or usage statistics of media devices, relativerankings of usage and/or ownership of media devices, types of uses ofmedia devices (e.g., whether a device is used for browsing the Internet,streaming media from the Internet, etc.), and/or other types of mediadevice information. In examples disclosed herein, monitoring informationincludes, but is not limited to, media identifying information (e.g.,media-identifying metadata, codes, signatures, watermarks, and/or otherinformation that may be used to identify presented media), applicationusage information (e.g., an identifier of an application, a time and/orduration of use of the application, a rating of the application, etc.),and/or user-identifying information (e.g., demographic information, apanelist identifier, a username, etc.).

Audio watermarking is a technique used to identify media such astelevision broadcasts, radio broadcasts, advertisements (televisionand/or radio), downloaded media, streaming media, prepackaged media,etc. Existing audio watermarking techniques identify media by embeddingone or more audio codes (e.g., one or more watermarks), such as mediaidentifying information and/or an identifier that may be mapped to mediaidentifying information, into an audio and/or video component. In someexamples, the audio or video component is selected to have a signalcharacteristic sufficient to hide the watermark. As used herein, theterms “code” or “watermark” are used interchangeably and are defined tomean any identification information (e.g., an identifier) that may beinserted or embedded in the audio or video of media (e.g., a program oradvertisement) for the purpose of identifying the media or for anotherpurpose such as tuning (e.g., a packet identifying header). To identifywatermarked media, the watermark(s) are extracted and used to access atable of reference watermarks that are mapped to media identifyinginformation.

Unlike media monitoring techniques based on codes and/or watermarksincluded with and/or embedded in the monitored media, fingerprint orsignature-based media monitoring techniques generally use one or moreinherent characteristics of the monitored media during a monitoring timeinterval to generate a substantially unique proxy for the media. Such aproxy is referred to as a signature or fingerprint, and can take anyform (e.g., a series of digital values, a waveform, etc.) representativeof any aspect(s) of the media signal(s)(e.g., the audio and/or videosignals forming the media presentation being monitored). A signature maybe a series of signatures collected in series over a timer interval. Agood signature is repeatable when processing the same mediapresentation, but is unique relative to other (e.g., different)presentations of other (e.g., different) media. Accordingly, the term“fingerprint” and “signature” are used interchangeably herein and aredefined herein to mean a proxy for identifying media that is generatedfrom one or more inherent characteristics of the media.

Signature-based media monitoring generally involves determining (e.g.,generating and/or collecting) signature(s) representative of a mediasignal (e.g., an audio signal and/or a video signal) output by amonitored media device and comparing the monitored signature(s) to oneor more references signatures corresponding to known (e.g., reference)media sources. Various comparison criteria, such as a cross-correlationvalue, a Hamming distance, etc., can be evaluated to determine whether amonitored signature matches a particular reference signature. When amatch between the monitored signature and one of the referencesignatures is found, the monitored media can be identified ascorresponding to the particular reference media represented by thereference signature that with matched the monitored signature. Becauseattributes, such as an identifier of the media, a presentation time, abroadcast channel, etc., are collected for the reference signature,these attributes may then be associated with the monitored media whosemonitored signature matched the reference signature. Example systems foridentifying media based on codes and/or signatures are long known andwere first disclosed in Thomas, U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,294, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

Additionally, determining an identifier of a media device whichpresented media at a media location is important for proper mediacrediting. In the past, identifying a media device that presented mediaat a media location was accomplished utilizing media meters thatincluded direct connections to one or more media devices at a medialocation. However, the quantity of connections required by thisconfiguration was oftentimes found to be intrusive, and additionallyrelied upon an individual at the media location to ensure properconnections between the meter and each media device at the medialocation.

To overcome the aforementioned limitations, newer models of media metersare designed to function with a minimal amount of wired connections(e.g., minimally invasive media meters). Some examples of minimallyinvasive media meters only include a direct connection to the audio lineoutput of a media presentation device, and acquire the remainder ofmedia monitoring information via one or more microphones. Other examplesof minimally invasive media meters don't include any direct connections(e.g., a wireless media meter), and acquire all media monitoringinformation via one or more microphones.

For the example minimally invasive media meters described above, a mediadevice identifier can oftentimes be determined from media monitoringinformation received via at least one of a microphone and an audio lineoutput of a presentation device. However, in some instances, a minimallyinvasive media meter may be unable to determine a media deviceidentifier directly from media monitoring information. As used herein, amedia device without a determined identifier is further defined as an“unidentified media device.”

Methods and apparatus disclosed herein facilitate inferring anidentifier of an unidentified media device presenting media when aminimally invasive media meter is utilized and a media device identifiercannot be directly determined from media monitoring information, whereininferring a media device identifier for the unidentified media devicefurther includes analyzing data from a set of media meters as areference.

Turning to the figures, FIG. 1 is an illustrated example environment ofuse 100 in which the teachings of this disclosure operate. The exampleenvironment of use 100 includes media devices 102, 104, 106, and 108which can deliver a media presentation via media transmitters 110, 112,114, and 116 to a presentation device 118. The presentation device 118can, in some examples, include one or more audio signal transmitters 120and one or more speakers 122. Further, the example environment of use100 can include a wired media meter 124 which can, in some examples,include a microphone 126, an audio signal receiver 128, an ambientmicrophone 130, one or more media device connectors 132, 134, 136, and138 capable of providing direct connectivity of the wired media meter124 to the media devices 102, 104, 106, and 108, and a metering handler140. Additionally or alternatively, the example environment of use 100can include a minimally invasive media meter 142 which can, in someexamples, include a microphone 144, an audio signal receiver 146, anambient microphone 148, and a metering handler 150. Additionally oralternatively, the example environment of use 100 can include a wirelessmedia meter 152 which can, in some examples, include a microphone 154,and a metering handler 156. Further, the example environment of use 100includes a network 158, and an Audience Measurement Entity (AME) 160.

The example media devices 102, 104, 106, and 108 of the illustratedexample of FIG. 1 are devices that retrieve media for presentation. Insome examples, one or more of the example media devices 102, 104, 106,and 108 are capable of directly presenting media (e.g., via a display)while, in other examples, one or more of the media devices 102, 104,106, and 108 present the media on a separate presentation device 118,via one or more media transmitters 110, 112, 114, and 116. Thus, as usedherein “media devices” may or may not be able to present media withoutassistance from a second device. Media devices are typically consumerelectronics.

For example, the example media device 102 of the illustrated example ofFIG. 1 is a PlayStation 4, the example media device 104 of theillustrated example of FIG. 1 is a Roku® media player, the example mediadevice 106 of the illustrated example of FIG. 1 is a Blu-ray/DVD player,and the example media device 108 of the illustrated example of FIG. 1 isa set top box. The illustrated example media devices 102, 104, 106, and108 are not capable of directly presenting media (e.g., via anintegrated and/or connected display and speakers), and thus, will eachpresent media on the example presentation device 118. While in theillustrated example of FIG. 1, a PlayStation 4, a Roku® media player, aBlu-ray/DVD player, and a set top box are shown, any other type(s)and/or number(s) of media device(s) may additionally or alternatively beused. For example, Internet-enabled mobile handsets (e.g., a smartphone,an iPod®, etc.), video game consoles (e.g., Xbox®, PlayStation® 4,etc.), tablet computers (e.g., an iPad®, a Samsung Galaxy Tab S3®,etc.), digital media players (e.g., a Roku® media player, a Slingbox®, aTivo®, etc.), smart televisions, desktop computers, laptop computers,servers, etc. may be used. Additionally, while each of the media devices102, 104, 106, and 108 in the illustrated example of FIG. 1 are knownmedia devices, one or more of the media devices 102, 104, 106, and/or108 can be, in some examples, unknown media devices.

The example media transmitters 110, 112, 114, and 116 of the illustratedexample of FIG. 1 are devices that transmit media from the example mediadevices 102, 104, 106, and 108 to the example presentation device 118.The example media transmitters 110, 112, 114, and 116 can transmit oneor more audio signals to the presentation device 118. Additionally oralternatively, the media transmitters 110, 112, 114, and 116 cantransmit one or more video signals to the presentation device 118.Additionally or alternatively, the media transmitters 110, 112, 114, and116 can transmit one or more video signals and one or more audio signalsto the presentation device 118.

In some examples, such as in the illustrated example of FIG. 1, themedia transmitters 110, 112, 114, and 116 can transmit media to thepresentation device 118 via a wired/physical connection, such as an HDMIcable, an RCA cable, an optical cable, a coaxial cable, and/or anyphysical cable capable of transmitting at least one of a video signaland audio signal. Additionally or alternatively, the media transmitters110, 112, 114, and/or 116 can transmit media to the presentation device118 via a wireless connection such as a Bluetooth connection, a cellularconnection such as a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), aLong Term Evolution (LTE), etc., a Wi-Fi connection, and/or any wirelessprotocol capable of transmitting at least one of a video signal andaudio signal.

The example presentation device 118 of the illustrated example of FIG. 1is a device capable of presenting media distributed by one or more ofthe example media devices 102, 104, 106, and 108 further connected tothe presentation device 118 by one or more media transmitters 110, 112,114, and 116. The example presentation device 118 can present a videosignal from one or more of the example media devices 102, 104, 106, and108. Additionally or alternatively, the presentation device 118 canpresent an audio signal from one or more of the example media devices102, 104, 106, and 108. Additionally or alternatively, the presentationdevice 118 can present both an audio signal and a video signal from oneor more of the example media devices 102, 104, 106, and 108. Further,the example presentation device 118 can include the one or more audiosignal transmitters 120 and the one or more speakers 122.

The one or more audio signal transmitters 120 of the illustrated exampleof FIG. 1 are devices capable of transmitting an audio signal matchingthe audio signal received by the presentation device 118, as distributedby one or more of the media devices 102, 104, 106, and 108.

In some examples, such as in the illustrated example of FIG. 1, the oneor more audio signal transmitters 120 can transmit an audio signal to atleast one of the wired media meter 124 and the minimally invasive mediameter 142 via a wired/physical connection, such as an HDMI cable, an RCAcable, an optical cable, a coaxial cable, and/or any physical cablecapable of transmitting an audio signal. Additionally or alternatively,the audio signal transmitter 120 can transmit an audio signal to atleast one of the wired media meter 124 and the minimally invasive mediameter 142 via a wireless connection such as a Bluetooth connection, acellular connection such as a Global System for Mobile Communications(GSM), a Long Term Evolution (LTE), etc., a Wi-Fi connection, and/or anywireless protocol capable of transmitting an audio signal.

The one or more speakers 122 of the illustrated example of FIG. 1 aredevices capable of outputting the audio signal distributed by one ormore of the media devices 102, 104, 106, and 108. In some examples, theaudio signal output by the one or more speakers 122 can be observed by ahuman viewer of the media presented by the presentation device 118.Additionally or alternatively, the audio signal output by the one ormore speakers 122 can be observed by a microphone and/or anyelectromechanical device capable of audio detection. Additionally oralternatively, the audio signal output by the one or more speakers 122can be observed by at least one of a human viewer of the mediapresentation, and by a microphone and/or any electromechanical devicecapable of receiving auditory signals.

Further, in some such examples, the audio signal output by the one ormore speakers 122 can include an audio watermark detectable by amicrophone and/or any electromechanical device capable of audiodetection, but not detectable by a human viewer of the media presentedby the presentation device 118. Additionally or alternatively, the audiosignal output by the one or more speakers 122 can include a fingerprintor signature detectable by a microphone and/or any electromechanicaldevice capable of audio detection. Additionally or alternatively, theaudio signal output by the one or more speakers 122 can include anymedia identifier detectable by a microphone and/or any electromechanicaldevice capable of audio detection.

The example wired media meter 124 of the illustrated example of FIG. 1is a device capable of detecting the presentation of media distributedby at least of one of the media devices 102, 104, 106, and 108 by thepresentation device 118. In some examples, such as the illustratedexample of FIG. 1, the wired media meter 124 can further include orotherwise implement the microphone 126, the audio signal receiver 128,the ambient microphone 130, the one or more media device connectors 132,134, 136, and 138, and the metering handler 140.

The microphone 126, which in some examples is included in or otherwiseimplemented by the wired media meter 124, is a device capable ofcapturing audio (e.g., sound). In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, themicrophone 126 captures audio output by the one or more speakers 122,included or otherwise implemented by the presentation device 118. Theexample microphone 126 can be placed in close proximity to thepresentation device 118. In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, themicrophone 126 is placed in direct contact with the speaker 122.

Further, in some examples, the microphone 126 can receive a mediaidentifier included in an audio signal of a media presentation presentedat the presentation device 118.

The audio signal receiver 128, which in some examples is included in orotherwise implemented by the wired media meter 124, is a device capableof receiving an audio signal matching the audio signal distributed byone or more of the media devices 102, 104, 106, and/or 108, and furthertransmitted by the audio signal transmitter 120. Further, in someexamples, the audio signal received by the audio signal receiver 128 caninclude a media identifier of the media presented by the presentationdevice 118.

In some examples, such as in the illustrated example of FIG. 1, theaudio signal receiver 128 can receive an audio signal from thepresentation device 118 via a wired/physical connection, such as an HDMIcable, an RCA cable, an optical cable, a coaxial cable, and/or anyphysical cable capable of transmitting an audio signal. Additionally oralternatively, the audio signal receiver 128 can receive an audio signalfrom the presentation device 118 via a wireless connection such as aBluetooth connection, a cellular connection such as a Global System forMobile Communications (GSM), a Long Term Evolution (LTE), etc., a Wi-Ficonnection, and/or any wireless protocol capable of transmitting anaudio signal.

The ambient microphone 130, which in some examples is included in orotherwise implemented by the wired media meter 124, is a device capableof detecting ambient sound near the wired media meter 124. As usedherein, “ambient sound” is defined as sound (e.g., audio) from anyexample source other than the presentation device 118. Further, theambient microphone 130 can, in some examples, transmit one or moreambient sound signals to the metering handler 140.

The one or more media device connectors 132, 134, 136, and 138 can be,in some examples, included in or otherwise implemented by the wiredmedia meter 124. The one or more media device connectors 132, 134, 136,and 138 are devices capable of transmitting a media device identifier ofa media device, in some examples one or more of media devices 102, 104,106, and 108 of the illustrated example of FIG. 1, from one or more ofthe media devices 102, 104, 106, and/or 108 to the wired media meter124. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more media deviceconnectors 132, 134, 136, and 138 can transmit a media identifier fromone or more of the media devices 102, 104, 106, and 108 to the wiredmedia meter 124.

The metering handler 140, which in some examples is included in orotherwise implemented by the wired media meter 124, is a device capableof handling one or more audio signals, wherein some examples the one ormore audio signals can further include a media identifier. In theillustrated example of FIG. 1, audio signals can be received by at leastone of the microphone 126, the audio signal receiver 128, the ambientmicrophone 130, and the one or more media device connectors 132, 134,136, and 138.

In some examples, handling one or more audio signals can further includecombining or otherwise multiplexing the one or more audio signals.Additionally or alternatively, handling one or more audio signals canfurther include determining a subset of audio signals which include amedia identifier. Additionally or alternatively, handling one or moreaudio signals can include extracting a media identifier from one or moreaudio signals.

In some examples, the metering handler 140 is further to at least one ofdetermine and distribute media monitoring information based uponidentifiers (e.g., a media identifier, a media device identifier, etc.)received. In such examples, media monitoring information can include,but is not limited to, application usage information (e.g., anidentifier of an application, a time and/or duration of use of theapplication, a rating of the application, etc.), media identifyinginformation, and/or user-identifying information (e.g., demographicinformation, a panelist identifier, a username, etc.).

The example minimally invasive media meter 142 of the illustratedexample of FIG. 1 is a device capable of detecting the presentation ofmedia, distributed by at least of one of the media devices 102, 104,106, and 108, at the presentation device 118. In some examples, such asthe illustrated example of FIG. 1, the minimally invasive media meter142 can further include or otherwise implement the microphone 144, theaudio signal receiver 146, the ambient microphone 148, and the meteringhandler 150. In some examples, the microphone 144, the audio signalreceiver 146, the ambient microphone 148, and the metering handler 150function pursuant to the teachings of the microphone 126, the audiosignal receiver 128, the ambient microphone 130, and the meteringhandler 140, respectively, described above in conjunction with the wiredmedia meter 124.

Additionally, the example minimally invasive media meter 142 of theillustrated example of FIG. 1 does not, in some examples, include directconnections to any one or more of the media devices 102, 104, 106, and108.

The example wireless media meter 152 of the illustrated example of FIG.1 is a device capable of detecting the presentation of media distributedby at least of one of the media devices 102, 104, 106, and 108 by thepresentation device 118. In some examples, such as the illustratedexample of FIG. 1, the wireless media meter 152 can further include orotherwise implement the microphone 154, and the metering handler 156. Insome examples, the microphone 154 functions pursuant to the combinationof the teachings of the microphone 126, and the ambient microphone 130,described in conjunction with the wired media meter 124. Additionally,the metering handler 156 functions pursuant to the teaching of themetering handler 140, described in conjunction with the wired mediameter 124.

Additionally, the example wireless media meter 152 of the illustratedexample of FIG. 1 does not include direct connections to any of themedia devices 102, 104, 106, and 108, or the one or more audio signaltransmitters 120.

The example network 158 of the illustrated example of FIG. 1 is theInternet. However, the example network 158 may be implemented using anysuitable wired and/or wireless network(s) including, for example, one ormore data buses, one or more Local Area Networks (LANs), one or morewireless LANs, one or more cellular networks, one or more privatenetworks, one or more public networks, etc. The example network 158enables at least one of the wired media meter 124, the minimallyinvasive media meter 142, and the wireless media meter 152 to be incommunication with the example Audience Measurement Entity (AME) 160. Asused herein, the phrase “in communication,” including variancestherefore, encompasses direct communication and/or indirectcommunication through one or more intermediary components and does notrequire direct physical (e.g., wired) communication and/or constantcommunication, but rather includes selective communication at periodicor aperiodic intervals, as well as one-time events.

The example Audience Measurement Entity (AME) 160 of the illustratedexample of FIG. 1, described in further detail below in conjunction withFIG. 2, is a device capable of at least one of analyzing mediamonitoring information of a media presentation detected and distributedby at least one of the wired media meter 124, the minimally invasivemedia meter 142, and the wireless media meter 152. Further, the AudienceMeasurement Entity (AME) 160 can generate a media credit for the mediapresentation presented at the presentation device 118.

In operation of the example environment of use 100 of FIG. 1, a mediapresentation is distributed from one or more of the media devices 102,104, 106, and 108 via one or more of the media transmitters 110, 112,114, and 116 to the presentation device 118. The audio signal of themedia presentation is further output via the one or more audio signaltransmitters 120 and the one or more speakers 122, and received by atleast one of the microphones 126, 144, and/or 154 and at least one ofthe audio signal receivers 128 and 146 of at least one of the wiredmedia meter 124, the minimally invasive media meter 142, and thewireless media meter 152. Additionally, the wired media meter 124receives a media device identifier from at least one of the mediadevices 102, 104, 106, and 108 via one or more of the media deviceconnectors 132, 134, 136, and 138. In response to the receipt of one ormore audio signals, one or more of the metering handlers 140, 150, and156 distribute at least one of the audio signals and media monitoringinformation to the Audience Measurement Entity (AME) 160 via the network158.

FIG. 2 is an illustrated example block diagram further detailing theAudience Measurement Entity (AME) 160 which can, in some examples,include a media database 202, a media device analyzer 204, and a mediacrediting database 206.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 2, the example Audience MeasurementEntity (AME) 160 includes the media database 202 which is capable ofstoring media monitoring information as distributed by at least one ofthe wired media meter 124, the minimally invasive media meter 142, andthe wireless media meter 152.

The media database 202 may be implemented by a volatile memory (e.g., aSynchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), Dynamic Random AccessMemory (DRAM), RAMBUS Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRAM), etc.) and/ora non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory). The media database 202 mayadditionally or alternatively be implemented by one or more double datarate (DDR) memories, such as DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, mobile DDR (mDDR),etc. The media database 202 may additionally or alternatively beimplemented by one or more mass storage devices such as hard diskdrive(s), compact disk drive(s) digital versatile disk drive(s), etc.While in the illustrated example the media database 202 is illustratedas a single database, the media database 202 may be implemented by anynumber and/or type(s) of databases. Furthermore, the data stored in themedia database 202 may be in any data format such as, for example,binary data, comma delimited data, tab delimited data, structured querylanguage (SQL) structures, etc.

The media device analyzer 204 of the illustrated example of FIG. 2,described in greater detail below in conjunction with FIG. 3, is adevice capable of at least one of identifying (e.g., determining anidentity of) an unidentified media device, generating a report on themedia device identified, and generating a credit for the media deviceidentified utilizing media monitoring information stored in the mediadatabase 202.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 2, the Audience Measurement Entity(AME) 160 includes the media crediting database 206 which is capable ofstoring one or more media credit(s) for one or more mediapresentation(s) as detected by at least one of the wired media meter124, the minimally invasive media meter 142, and the wireless mediameter 152 at the example environment of use 100. Additionally oralternatively, the media crediting database 206 is capable of storingone or more media credit(s) for one or more media presentation(s).

The media crediting database 206 may be implemented by a volatile memory(e.g., a Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), DynamicRandom Access Memory (DRAM), RAMBUS Dynamic Random Access Memory(RDRAM), etc.) and/or a non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory). Themedia crediting database 206 may additionally or alternatively beimplemented by one or more double data rate (DDR) memories, such as DDR,DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, mobile DDR (mDDR), etc. The media crediting database206 may additionally or alternatively be implemented by one or more massstorage devices such as hard disk drive(s), compact disk drive(s),digital versatile disk drive(s), etc. While in the illustrated examplethe media crediting database 206 is illustrated as a single database,the media crediting database 206 may be implemented by any number and/ortype(s) of databases. Furthermore, the data stored in the mediacrediting database 206 may be in any data format such as, for example,binary data, comma delimited data, tab delimited data, structured querylanguage (SQL) structures, etc.

In operation, the example block diagram of the illustrated example ofFIG. 2 receives media monitoring information, including mediaidentifying information, via the network 158 at the media database 202,further included or otherwise implemented by the Audience MeasurementEntity (AME) 160. The media database 202 at least one of stores themedia monitoring information and distributes the media monitoringinformation to the media device analyzer 204, which is further to atleast one of identify an unidentified media device for the mediapresentation and generate a media credit including the identifier of themedia device. The media device analyzer 204 is further to distribute themedia credit to the media crediting database 206, wherein the mediacredit is stored.

An example block diagram further detailing the media device analyzer 204of FIG. 2 is illustrated in the example of FIG. 3. The example mediadevice analyzer 204 of FIG. 3 can, for a media presentation detected byat least one of the wired media meter 124, the minimally invasive mediameter 142, and the wireless media meter 152, identify a media devicewhich presented the media presentation and, in some examples, furthergenerate a credit for the media presentation including an identifier ofthe media device.

Looking to FIG. 3, the illustrated media device analyzer 204 includes amedia database interface 302, a media device recognition determiner 304,a cluster generator 306, a media device determiner 308, a cluster basedmedia device identifier 310, a media device report generator 312, and amedia credit generator 314.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 3, the example media databaseinterface 302 can at least one of transfer data to and receive data fromat least one of the example media database 202 and the example mediacrediting database 206. Additionally or alternatively, the example mediadatabase interface 302 can at least one of transfer data to and receivedata from any component of the media device analyzer 204 that caninclude the media device recognition determiner 304, the clustergenerator 306, the media device determiner 308, the cluster based mediadevice identifier 310, the media device report generator 312, and themedia credit generator 314. In some examples, the media databaseinterface 302 can be implemented by any type of interface standards,such as an Ethernet interface, a universal serial bus (USB), and/or aPCI express interface.

The example media device recognition determiner 304, further included inthe media device analyzer 204 of the illustrated example of FIG. 2, is adevice capable of determining an identifier of an unidentified mediadevice presenting a media presentation (e.g., the previouslyunidentified media device is a Roku, the previously unidentified mediadevice is a PlayStation 4, the previously unidentified media device is aSet Top Box, the previously unidentified media device is unrecognized,etc.). In some examples, such as the illustrated example of FIG. 1, amedia device identifier can be transmitted to the wired media meter 124directly from a media device via a media device connector, such as oneof media devices 102, 104, 106, and 108 via one of the media deviceconnectors 132, 134, 136, and 138 in the illustrated example of FIG. 1.

Additionally or alternatively, such as in the illustrated example ofFIG. 1, a media device identifier can be determined from a mediaidentifier transmitted to at least one of the audio signal receiver 128of the wired media meter 124 and the audio signal receiver 146 of theminimally invasive media meter 142 via the audio signal transmitter 120of the presentation device 118.

Additionally or alternatively, such as in the illustrated example ofFIG. 1, a media device identifier can be determined from a mediaidentifier transmitted to at least one of the microphone 126 of thewired media meter 124, the microphone 144 of the minimally invasivemedia meter 142, and the microphone 154 of the wireless media meter 152via audio output of the one or more speakers 122 of the presentationdevice 118.

When, in some examples, the media device recognition determiner 304determines that an identifier of the unidentified media device cannot bedetermined from available media identifying information, the mediadevice recognition determiner 304 is further to transmit mediaidentifying information of a media presentation to the cluster generator306.

The example cluster generator 306, further included in the media deviceanalyzer 204 of the illustrated example of FIG. 2, is a device capableof generating one or more clusters of one or more media locations from apopulation of media locations (e.g., a reference population of medialocations). As used herein, “cluster of media locations” and “medialocation cluster” are used interchangeably and are defined to mean asubset of media locations (e.g., one or more media locations from apopulation of media locations which are grouped together based upon oneor more rulesets). In some examples, the cluster generator 306 generatesa cluster of media locations from a population of media locations byidentifying one or more media locations from the population of medialocations that received an example media identifier (e.g., mediaidentifier ABC-123, media identifier XX-YYYY, etc.) included in mediaidentifying information.

Additionally or alternatively, the cluster generator 306 can generate acluster of media locations from a population of media locations bydetermining one or more media locations from the population of medialocations that include an example media device (e.g., a PlayStation 4, aRoku, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the cluster generator 306can generate a cluster of media locations from a population of medialocations by determining one or more media locations from the populationof media locations that received media identifying information at asubstantially similar time (e.g., 7:22 PM).

Additionally or alternatively, the example cluster generator 306 candetermine a media location identifier (e.g., media location A, medialocation B, media location C, etc.) for each media location determinedto be included at the media location cluster and, in some examples,further distribute a media location ID of each media location in anexample media location cluster to at least one of the media devicedeterminer 308 and the cluster based media device identifier 310.

The example media device determiner 308, further included in the mediadevice analyzer 204 of the illustrated example of FIG. 2, is a devicecapable of determining a list of media devices available at a medialocation (e.g., a media device list, a media device set, an availablemedia device list, an available media device set, etc.). From theillustrated example of FIG. 1, the example media device determiner 308would determine the example environment of use 100 to include aPlayStation 4, a Roku, a Blu-Ray Player, and a Set Top Box. In someexamples, the media device determiner 308 is to determine a list ofmedia devices available at each media location of the example medialocation cluster as generated by the example cluster generator 306.Further, the list of media devices available at each media location ofthe example media location cluster can, in some examples, be associatedwith the media location ID of each media location of the example medialocation cluster as distributed by the example cluster generator 306.

In some examples, the list of media devices available at a medialocation can be determined at the time of installation of an examplemedia meter in an example media location. In such examples, the list ofmedia devices can be determined by a survey completed by the panelist.Additionally or alternatively in such examples, the list of mediadevices can be determined by a technician installing the example mediameter at the example media location.

Additionally or alternatively, in response to an example media locationincluding an example wired media meter, in some examples the wired mediameter 124 of the illustrated example of FIG. 1, the list of mediadevices available at a media location can be determined by one or moremedia device connectors, in some examples the media device connectors132, 134, 136, and 138 of the illustrated example of FIG. 1, directlyconnected to one or more media devices, in some examples the mediadevices 102, 104, 106, and 108 of the illustrated example of FIG. 1.Additionally or alternatively, the list of media devices at a medialocation can be determined by media identifying information received byan example media meter, in some examples such as the illustrated exampleof FIG. 1, at least one of the wired media meter 124, the minimallyinvasive media meter 142, and the wireless media meter 152.

The example cluster based media device identifier 310, further includedin or otherwise implemented by the media device analyzer 204 of theillustrated example of FIG. 2, is a device capable of determining anidentifier of a media device for a media presentation based upon atleast one of the media location cluster as generated by the clustergenerator 306, and the one or more media device lists (e.g., mediadevice lists, media device sets, available media device lists, availablemedia device sets, etc.) as generated by the media device determiner308. In some examples, the cluster based media device identifier 310 candetermine an identifier of a media device for a media presentation basedupon a ruleset applied to the one or more media device lists generatedfor the media location cluster.

The ruleset applied by the cluster based media device identifier 310 canbe further defined by determining whether one or more media device(s)are available (e.g., one or more media device(s) are listed in a mediadevice list as generated by the media device determiner 308) at eachmedia location of the media location cluster generated by the clustergenerator 306.

Additionally or alternatively, the ruleset applied by the cluster basedmedia device identifier 310 can be further defined by determiningwhether one or more media device(s) are available in a majority of medialocations of the media location cluster generated by the clustergenerator 306. In some examples, “majority” can be further defined asgreater than 50% of the media locations at the media location cluster.

Additionally or alternatively, the ruleset applied by the cluster basedmedia device identifier 310 can be further defined by determiningwhether one or more media device(s) are available in at least a selectedproportion of media locations (e.g., 30% of media locations, 40% ofmedia locations, 60% of media locations, 80% of media locations, etc.)of the media location cluster generated by the cluster generator 306.

In some examples, in response to two or more media devices satisfyingthe ruleset applied by the cluster based media device identifier 310,the cluster based media device identifier 310 can further determine themedia device available in the greatest proportion of media locations ofthe media location cluster from the two or more media devices satisfyingthe ruleset.

In some examples, in response to no media devices satisfying the rulesetapplied by the cluster based media device identifier 310, the clusterbased media device identifier 310 can further determine the media deviceavailable in the greatest proportion of media locations.

The example media device report generator 312, further included in themedia device analyzer 204 of the illustrated example of FIG. 2, preparesone or more media measurement report(s) indicative of the exposure ofmedia on media devices. In some examples, the media device reportgenerator 312 can generate a report indicating an identifier of a mediadevice determined to be presenting media.

Additionally or alternatively, the media device report generator 312 cangenerate a report indicating whether a media device identifier wasdetermined from at least one of media identifying information or from aruleset applied to a cluster of media locations by the cluster basedmedia device identifier 310.

Additionally or alternatively, the media device report generator 312 cangenerate a report indicating at least one of an identifier of a mediadevice determined to be presenting media and the proportion of medialocations at the media location cluster the identified media device isdetermined to be available in.

Additionally or alternatively, the media device report generator 312 cangenerate a report indicating one or more media location identifiers ofone or more media locations determined to be at a media location clusterby the cluster generator 306.

Additionally or alternatively, the media device report generator 312 cangenerate a report indicating one or more media device lists, generatedby the media device determiner 308, for one or more media locationsdetermined to be at a media location cluster by the cluster generator306.

Additionally or alternatively, the media device report generator 312 cangenerate a report pertaining to any output of at least one of the mediadevice recognition determiner 304, the cluster generator 306, the mediadevice determiner 308, and the cluster based media device identifier310.

The example media credit generator 314, further included in the mediadevice analyzer 204 of the illustrated example of FIG. 2, is a devicecapable of generating media measurement credits indicative of thepresentation of media on media devices. In some examples, the mediacredit generator 314 can further distribute the one or more mediameasurement credit(s) generated to the media crediting database 206 viathe media database interface 302.

In some examples, in response to the media device recognition determiner304 determining a media device identifier from media identifyinginformation received by the media database interface 302, the mediacredit generator 314 can generate a media credit including the mediadevice identifier.

Additionally or alternatively, in response to the cluster based mediadevice identifier 310 determining a media device identifier from aruleset applied to one or more media device lists generated by the mediadevice determiner 308, for one or more media locations of a medialocation cluster generated by the cluster generator 306, the mediacredit generator 314 can generate a media credit including the mediadevice identifier.

In operation, the media device analyzer 204 of the illustrated exampleof FIG. 3 receives media monitoring information, further including mediaidentifying information, of a media presentation via the media databaseinterface 302, and is further to transmit the media monitoringinformation to the media device recognition determiner 304. The mediadevice recognition determiner 304 determines whether the media devicecan be identified from media identifying information received from themedia database interface 302. In response to determining the identifierfor the media device with media identifying information, the mediadevice recognition determiner 304 is further to distribute the mediadevice identifier to at least one of the media device report generator312 and the media credit generator 314. In such examples, the mediadevice report generator 312 is further to generate a report on the mediadevice identifier and the media credit generator is further to generatea credit for the media device identifier.

In response to determining the media device cannot be determined withmedia identifying information, the media device recognition determiner304 is further to distribute a media identifier, included in orotherwise implemented by media identifying information, to the clustergenerator 306. Further, the cluster generator 306 is to identify one ormore media locations from a population of media locations which receiveda media identifier matching the media identifier distributed by thenetwork 158 and received by the media device analyzer 204 via the mediadatabase interface 302, and generate a media location cluster includingthe one or more media locations identified. The cluster generator 306 isfurther to distribute the generated media location cluster to the mediadevice determiner 308 and the cluster based media device identifier 310,wherein the media device determiner 308 is to determine a list of mediadevices (e.g., a media device list) available at each media locationincluded in the cluster of media locations. The media device determiner308 is further to distribute the one or more media device lists to thecluster based media device identifier 310. The cluster based mediadevice identifier 310, having received the media location cluster fromthe cluster generator 306 and one or more media device lists from themedia device determiner 308, is further to determine a media deviceidentifier by applying a ruleset to the one or more media device list(s)and the media location cluster. In response to determining a mediadevice identifier, the cluster based media device identifier 310 isfurther to distribute the media device identifier to at least one of themedia device report generator 312 and the media credit generator 314. Insuch examples, the media device report generator 312 is further togenerate a report on the media device identifier and the media creditgenerator is further to generate a credit for the media deviceidentifier.

Although the example media device analyzer 204 of the illustratedexample of FIG. 3 includes one media database interface 302, one mediadevice recognition determiner 304, one cluster generator 306, one mediadevice determiner 308, one cluster based media device identifier 310,one media device report generator 312, and one media credit generator314, identification of an unidentified media device as disclosed hereincan be used with any number(s) of media database interfaces 302, mediadevice recognition determiners 304, cluster generators 306, media devicedeterminers 308, cluster based media device identifiers 310, mediadevice report generators 312, and media credit generators 314.

FIG. 4 is an illustrated example media location cluster 400 includingthree example Media locations, illustrated as Media location A 402,Media location B 404, and Media location C 406 in FIG. 4, generated bythe cluster generator 306. The example media location cluster 400 canfurther be defined, as in the illustrated example of FIG. 4, as themedia location cluster for an example media identifier “XX-YYYY,”further included in media identifying information. While in theillustrated example the example media location cluster 400 is generatedbased upon a matching media identifier, the example media locationcluster 400 can additionally or alternatively be generated based upon amatching media device. Additionally or alternatively, the example medialocation cluster 400 can be generated based upon matching mediaproviders. Additionally or alternatively, the example media locationcluster 400 can be generated based upon matching any one or more aspectsof media identifying information.

Further in the illustrated example of FIG. 4, the Media location A 402,the Media location B 404, and the Media location C 406 can include oneor more media device(s) as determined by the media device determiner308. For example, the Media location A 402, previously illustrated asthe example environment of use 100, is determined to include aPlayStation 4, a Roku, a Blu-Ray Player, and a Set Top Box.Additionally, the Media location B 404 is determined to include aNintendo Switch, a Set Top Box, and a Roku. Additionally, the Medialocation C 406 is determined to include a Roku, an Apple TV, a DVDPlayer, and an Xbox One.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example report 500 for the example media locationcluster 400 generated by the example media device report generator 312in response to the media device report generator 312 receiving one ormore results from at least one of the cluster generator 306, the mediadevice determiner 308, and the cluster based media device identifier310. The example report 500 of FIG. 5, which can in some examples beoutput as a data table, includes one or more media location identifiers502, one or more media identifiers 504, one or more instances of MediaDevice A 506, one or more instances of Media Device B 508, one or moreinstances of Media Device C 510, and one or more instances of MediaDevice D 512. Further, the example report 500 includes one or more datatable rows 514, 516, and 518.

In the illustrated example report 500, the example data table row 514includes the media location identifier 502, in the illustrated example“Media location A” previously illustrated as the example Media locationA 402 and the example environment of use 100, the media identifier 504,in the illustrated example “ABC-123” and “XX-YYYY”, the example MediaDevice A 506, in the illustrated example “PS4”, the example Media DeviceB 508, in the illustrated example “Roku”, the example Media Device C510, in the illustrated example “Blu-Ray Player”, and the example MediaDevice D 512, in the illustrated example “Set Top Box”.

Additionally in the illustrated example report 500, the example datatable row 516 includes the media location identifier 502, in theillustrated example “Media location B” previously illustrated as theexample Media location B 404, the media identifier 506, in theillustrated example “111-XYZ” and “XX-YYYY”, the example Media Device A506, in the illustrated example “Switch”, the example Media Device B508, in the illustrated example “Set Top Box”, the example Media DeviceC 510, in the illustrated example “Roku”, and the example Media Device D512, in the illustrated example “N/A”, denoting that “Media location B”only includes three (3) media devices.

Additionally in the illustrated example report 500, the example datatable row 518 includes the media location identifier 502, in theillustrated example “Media location C” previously illustrated as theexample Media location C 406, the media identifier 506, in theillustrated example “ABC-123”, “111-XYZ”, and “XX-YYYY”, the exampleMedia Device A 506, in the illustrated example “Roku”, the example MediaDevice B 508, in the illustrated example “Apple TV”, the example MediaDevice C 510, in the illustrated example “DVD Player”, and the exampleMedia Device D 512, in the illustrated example “Unknown Device”. Thus,examples disclosed herein can be applied to each of a media locationincluding known devices, a media location including unknown mediadevices, and a media location including each of known media devices andunknown media devices, such as “Media location C” described above inconjunction with data table row 518.

Utilizing the illustrated example report 500, the cluster based mediadevice identifier 310, described in further detail in conjunction withFIG. 3, can determine “Roku” is available at each media location of themedia location cluster 400, “Set Top Box” is available in a majority ofmedia locations of the media location cluster 400, and “Apple TV” isavailable in a minority of media locations of the media location cluster400 for an example media identifier “XX-YYYY”, described in furtherdetail in conjunction with FIG. 4.

While an example manner of implementing the example media deviceanalyzer 204 of FIG. 2 is illustrated in FIG. 3, one or more of theelements, processes and/or devices illustrated in FIG. 3 may becombined, divided, re-arranged, omitted, eliminated and/or implementedin any other way. Further, the example media database interface 302, theexample media device recognition determiner 304, the example clustergenerator 306, the example media device determiner 308, the examplecluster based media device identifier 310, the example media devicereport generator 312, and the example media credit generator 314 and/or,more generally, the example media device analyzer 204 of FIG. 3 may beimplemented by hardware, software, firmware and/or any combination ofhardware, software and/or firmware. Thus, for example, any of theexample media database interface 302, the example media devicerecognition determiner 304, the example cluster generator 306, theexample media device determiner 308, the example cluster based mediadevice identifier 310, the example media device report generator 312,and the example media credit generator 314 and/or, more generally, theexample media device analyzer 204 could be implemented by one or moreanalog or digital circuit(s), logic circuits, programmable processor(s),application specific integrated circuit(s) (ASIC(s)), programmable logicdevice(s) (PLD(s)) and/or field programmable logic device(s) (FPLD(s)).When reading any of the apparatus or system claims of this patent tocover a purely software and/or firmware implementation, at least one ofthe example media database interface 302, the example media devicerecognition determiner 304, the example cluster generator 306, theexample media device determiner 308, the example cluster based mediadevice identifier 310, the example media device report generator 312,and the example media credit generator 314 is/are hereby expresslydefined to include a non-transitory computer readable storage device orstorage disk such as a memory, a digital versatile disk (DVD), a compactdisk (CD), a Blu-ray disk, etc. including the software and/or firmware.Further still, the example media device analyzer 204 of FIG. 2 mayinclude one or more elements, processes and/or devices in addition to,or instead of, those illustrated in FIG. 3, and/or may include more thanone of any or all of the illustrated elements, processes and devices.

A flowchart representative of example machine readable instructions forimplementing the example media device analyzer 204 of FIG. 2 is shown inFIGS. 6-7. In this example, the machine readable instructions comprise aprogram for execution by a processor such as a processor 812 shown in anexample processor platform 800 discussed below in connection with FIG.8. The program may be embodied in software stored on a non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a floppy disk, a harddrive, a digital versatile disk (DVD), a Blu-ray disk, or a memoryassociated with the processor 812, but the entire program and/or partsthereof could alternatively be executed by a device other than theprocessor 812 and/or embodied in firmware or dedicated hardware.Further, although the example program is described with reference to theflowchart illustrated in FIGS. 6-7, many other methods of implementingthe example media device analyzer 204 may alternatively be used. Forexample, the order of execution of the blocks may be changed, and/orsome of the blocks described may be changed, eliminated, or combined.Additionally or alternatively, any or all of the blocks may beimplemented by one or more hardware circuits (e.g., discrete and/orintegrated analog and/or digital circuitry, a Field Programmable GateArray (FPGA), an Application Specific Integrated circuit (ASIC), acomparator, an operational-amplifier (op-amp), a logic circuit, etc.)structured to perform the corresponding operation without executingsoftware or firmware.

As mentioned above, the example processes of FIGS. 6-7 may beimplemented using coded instructions (e.g., computer and/or machinereadable instructions) stored on a non-transitory computer and/ormachine readable medium such as a hard disk drive, a flash memory, aread-only memory, a compact disk, a digital versatile disk, a cache, arandom-access memory and/or any other storage device or storage disk inwhich information is stored for any duration (e.g., for extended timeperiods, permanently, for brief instances, for temporarily buffering,and/or for caching of the information). As used herein, the termnon-transitory computer readable medium is expressly defined to includeany type of computer readable storage device and/or storage disk and toexclude propagating signals and to exclude transmission media.“Including” and “comprising” (and all forms and tenses thereof) are usedherein to be open ended terms. Thus, whenever a claim lists anythingfollowing any form of “include” or “comprise” (e.g., comprises,includes, comprising, including, etc.), it is to be understood thatadditional elements, terms, etc. may be present without falling outsidethe scope of the corresponding claim. As used herein, when the phrase“at least” is used as the transition term in a preamble of a claim, itis open-ended in the same manner as the term “comprising” and“including” are open ended.

Example machine readable instructions 600 that may be executed toperform detection and identification of an unidentified media device fora media presentation in the example environment of use 100 of FIG. 1 areillustrated in FIG. 6. With reference to the preceding figures andassociated description, the example machine readable instructions 600 ofFIG. 6 begin execution at block 602, at which at least one of the wiredmedia meter 124, the minimally invasive media meter 142, and thewireless media meter 152 detects a media identifier of an example mediapresentation presented at the presentation device 118 by at least one ofthe media device(s) 102, 104, 106, or 108. Further, media monitoringinformation, in some examples including media identifying information,is processed by at least one of the metering handler(s) 140, 150, or156, distributed to the Audience Measurement Entity (AME) 160 via thenetwork 158, and stored in the media database 202.

At block 604, in response to the media database interface 302 of themedia device analyzer 204 receiving media monitoring information fromthe media database 202, the media device recognition determiner 304determines whether a media device can be identified from the mediamonitoring information received at the media database interface 302. Insome examples, determining whether a media device can be identified fromthe media monitoring information received further includes determiningwhether a media meter is the wired media meter 124, including one ormore media device connectors 132, 134, 136, and 138 connected to one ormore media devices 102, 104, 106, and 108. In such examples, the wiredmedia meter 124 is capable of receiving a media device identifierdirectly from one or more media devices 102, 104, 106, and 108.

Additionally or alternatively, determining whether a media device can beidentified from the media monitoring information received furtherincludes determining whether a media device identifier is included in orotherwise implemented by the media identifying information as includedin or otherwise implemented by the media monitoring information.

At block 606, further detailed below in conjunction with FIG. 7, inresponse to the media device recognition determiner 304 determining thata media device cannot be identified from media identifying informationreceived at the media database interface 302, the media device analyzer204 is to determine an identifier of an unidentified media devicepresenting media utilizing a cluster of media locations including mediameters from a reference population of media locations including mediameters as a reference.

At block 608, in response to at least one of the media devicerecognition determiner 304 determining that a media device can beidentified from media identifying information received at the mediadatabase interface 302 or the media device analyzer 204 completing thedetermination of an identifier of a media device presenting media atblock 606, the media device report generator 312 is to generate a reporton the identifier of a media device presenting media.

Additionally or alternatively at block 608, the media device reportgenerator 312 can generate a report indicating whether a media deviceidentifier was determined from media identifying information.

Additionally or alternatively at block 608, the media device reportgenerator 312 can generate a report indicating at least one of anidentifier of a media device determined to be presenting media and theproportion of media locations at the media location cluster the mediadevice is determined to be available in.

Additionally or alternatively at block 608, the media device reportgenerator 312 can generate a report indicating one or more medialocation identifiers of one or more media locations determined to be ata media location cluster by the cluster generator 306.

Additionally or alternatively at block 608, the media device reportgenerator 312 can generate a report indicating one or more media devicelists, generated by the media device determiner 308, for one or moremedia locations determined to be at a media location cluster by thecluster generator 306.

Additionally or alternatively at block 608, the media device reportgenerator 312 can generate a report pertaining to any output of at leastone of the media device recognition determiner 304, the clustergenerator 306, the media device determiner 308, and the cluster basedmedia device identifier 310.

At block 610, in response to the media device report generator 312completing the generation of a report on the identifier of a mediadevice, the media credit generator 314 is to generate media measurementcredits indicative of the presentation of media on media devices. Insome examples at block 610, the media credit generator 314 can furtherdistribute the one or more media measurement credits generated to themedia crediting database 206. The example machine readable instructions600 of the illustrated example of FIG. 6 are then terminated.

Example machine readable instructions that may be executed to use metersas a reference for media device detection (FIG. 6, block 606) by themedia device analyzer 204 of FIG. 2 are illustrated in FIG. 7. Withreference to the preceding figures and associated descriptions, theexample method of FIG. 7 begins execution at block 702 at which theexample cluster generator 306 compares media identifying information ofa media presentation received from the media database 202 via the mediadatabase interface 302 with media identifying information received at apopulation of media locations, received from the media creditingdatabase 206 via the media database interface 302.

At block 704, based upon the comparison of media identifying informationof a media presentation and media identifying information received at apopulation of media locations completed utilizing the example clustergenerator 306 at block 702, the example cluster generator 306 is furtherto generate a cluster of media locations from a population of medialocations. In some such examples, the comparison of media identifyinginformation utilized to generate a cluster of media locations is furtherbased upon identifying one or more media locations from the populationof media locations that received an example media identifier (e.g.,media identifier ABC-123, media identifier XX-YYYY, etc.) included inmedia identifying information.

Additionally or alternatively, the cluster generator 306 at block 704can generate a cluster of media locations from a population of medialocations by determining one or more media locations from the populationof media locations that include an example media device (e.g., aPlayStation 4, a Roku, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the clustergenerator 306 at block 704 can generate a cluster of media locationsfrom a population of media locations by determining one or more medialocations from the population of media locations that received mediaidentifying information at a substantially similar time (e.g., 7:22 PM).

At block 706, in response to completing the generation of a cluster ofmedia locations by the cluster generator 306 at block 704, the mediadevice determiner 308 determines a list of media devices available ineach example media location of the example media location cluster asgenerated by the example cluster generator 306. Further, the list ofmedia devices available in each example media location of the examplemedia location cluster can, in some examples, be associated with themedia location ID of each media location of the example media locationcluster as distributed by the example cluster generator 306.

At block 708, the cluster based media device identifier 310 is tocompare lists of media devices available at each media location at amedia location cluster as determined by the media device determiner 308at block 706. In some such examples, the comparison of lists of mediadevices available at each media location further includes determiningone or more media devices available in two or more media locations ofthe media location cluster.

At block 710, the cluster based media device identifier 310 is furtherto infer a media device identifier based upon the comparison of mediadevices available at each media location at a media location clustercompleted by the example cluster based media device identifier 310 atblock 708. In some examples, inferring a media device identifier isfurther based upon a ruleset applied to the comparison of media devicesavailable at each media location at a media location cluster. Theruleset, in some examples, can be further defined by determining whetherone or more media devices are available (e.g., one or more media devicesare listed in a media device list as generated by the media devicedeterminer 308) at each media location of the media location clustergenerated by the cluster generator 306.

Additionally or alternatively, the ruleset applied by the cluster basedmedia device identifier 310 at block 710 can be further defined bydetermining whether one or more media device(s) are available (e.g., oneor more media device(s) are listed in a media device list as generatedby the media device determiner 308) in a majority of media locations ofthe media location cluster generated by the cluster generator 306. Insome examples, “majority” can be further defined as greater than 50% ofthe media locations at the media location cluster.

Additionally or alternatively, the ruleset applied by the cluster basedmedia device identifier 310 at block 710 can be further defined bydetermining whether one or more media devices are available (e.g., oneor more media devices are listed in a media device list as generated bythe media device determiner 308) in at least a selected proportion ofmedia locations (e.g., 30% of media locations, 40% of media locations,60% of media locations, 80% of media locations, etc.) of the medialocation cluster generated by the cluster generator 306.

In some examples, in response to two or more media devices satisfyingthe ruleset applied by the cluster based media device identifier 310 atblock 710, the cluster based media device identifier 310 can furtherdetermine the media device available in the greatest proportion of medialocations from the two or more media devices satisfying the ruleset.

In some examples, in response to no media devices satisfying the rulesetapplied by the cluster based media device identifier 310 at block 710,the cluster based media device identifier 310 can further determine themedia device available in the greatest proportion of media locationsfrom the one or more media devices identified in one or more mediadevice lists for one or more media locations of the media locationcluster. Upon completion of the application of a ruleset by the clusterbased media device identifier 310 at block 710, processing returns toblock 608 of the example machine readable instructions 600 of theillustrated example of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the example processor platform 800 capableof executing the instructions of FIGS. 6-7 to implement the apparatus ofFIGS. 2-3. The processor platform 800 can be, for example, a server, apersonal computer, a mobile device (e.g., a cell phone, a smart phone, atablet such as an iPad™), a personal digital assistant (PDA), anInternet appliance, a DVD player, a CD player, a digital video recorder,a Blu-ray player, a gaming console, a personal video recorder, a set topbox, or any other type of computing device.

The processor platform 800 of the illustrated example includes theprocessor 812. The processor 812 of the illustrated example is hardware.For example, the processor 812 can be implemented by one or moreintegrated circuits, logic circuits, microprocessors or controllers fromany desired family or manufacturer. The hardware processor may be asemiconductor based (e.g., silicon based) device. In this example, theprocessor implements the example Audience Measurement Entity (AME) 160which can, in some examples, include the media device analyzer 204 whichcan, in some examples, include the example media database interface 302,the example media device recognition determiner 304, the example clustergenerator 306, the example media device determiner 308, the examplecluster based media device identifier 310, the example media devicereport generator 312, and the example media credit generator 314.

The processor 812 of the illustrated example includes a local memory 813(e.g., a cache). The processor 812 of the illustrated example is incommunication with a main memory including a volatile memory 814 and anon-volatile memory 816 via a bus 818. The volatile memory 814 may beimplemented by Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), DynamicRandom Access Memory (DRAM), RAMBUS Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRAM)and/or any other type of random access memory device. The non-volatilememory 816 may be implemented by flash memory and/or any other desiredtype of memory device. Access to the main memory 814, 816 is controlledby a memory controller.

The processor platform 800 of the illustrated example also includes aninterface circuit 820. The interface circuit 820 may be implemented byany type of interface standard, such as an Ethernet interface, auniversal serial bus (USB), and/or a PCI express interface.

In the illustrated example, one or more input devices 822 are connectedto the interface circuit 820. The input device(s) 822 permit(s) a userto enter data and/or commands into the processor 812. The inputdevice(s) can be implemented by, for example, an audio sensor, amicrophone, a camera (still or video), a keyboard, a button, a mouse, atouchscreen, a track-pad, a trackball, isopoint device and/or a voicerecognition system.

One or more output devices 824 are also connected to the interfacecircuit 820 of the illustrated example. The output devices 824 can beimplemented, for example, by display devices (e.g., a light emittingdiode (LED), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a liquid crystaldisplay, a cathode ray tube display (CRT), a touchscreen, a tactileoutput device, a printer and/or speakers). The interface circuit 820 ofthe illustrated example, thus, typically includes a graphics drivercard, a graphics driver chip and/or a graphics driver processor.

The interface circuit 820 of the illustrated example also includes acommunication device such as a transmitter, a receiver, a transceiver, amodem and/or network interface card to facilitate exchange of data withexternal machines (e.g., computing devices of any kind) via a network826 (e.g., an Ethernet connection, a digital subscriber line (DSL), atelephone line, coaxial cable, a cellular telephone system, etc.).

The processor platform 800 of the illustrated example also includes oneor more mass storage devices 828 for storing software and/or data.Examples of such mass storage devices 828 include floppy disk drives,hard drive disks, compact disk drives, Blu-ray disk drives, RAIDsystems, and digital versatile disk (DVD) drives.

The coded instructions 832 of FIGS. 6-7 may be stored in the massstorage device 828, in the volatile memory 814, in the non-volatilememory 816, and/or on a removable tangible computer readable storagemedium such as a CD or DVD.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that example methods,apparatus and articles of manufacture have been disclosed thatfacilitate inferring a media device identifier when a minimally invasivemedia meter is utilized and a media device identifier cannot be directlydetermined from available media monitoring information.

Although certain example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacturehave been disclosed herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is notlimited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods,apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope ofthe claims of this patent.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus to detect media devices presentingmedia, the apparatus comprising: means for generating a cluster of medialocations from a reference population of media locations based on mediaidentifying information received from a presentation of media at anunidentified media device at a first media location; means fordetermining media devices available at the media locations in thecluster of media locations; means for identifying the unidentified mediadevice based on (1) the media devices available at the media locationsin the cluster of media locations and (2) an identity of a media devicedetermined to be available in a majority of media locations in thecluster of media locations; and means for generating a report on theidentity of the unidentified media device.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein a means for monitoring at the first media location is aminimally invasive media meter that does not include a direct connectionto the unidentified media device.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, whereinthe reference population of media locations includes at least one medialocation with a minimally invasive media meter.
 4. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the identity of the unidentified media device cannot bedirectly determined from the media identifying information received fromthe presentation of media.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein themeans for generating includes comparing the media identifyinginformation received at a media location of the reference population ofmedia locations and the first media location.
 6. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the means for generating includes adding the media locationof the reference population to the cluster of media locations when mediaidentifying information received at the media location matches the firstmedia location.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identity of theunidentified media device is credited via a media credit generated forthe media presentation.
 8. An apparatus to detect media devicespresenting media, the apparatus comprising: means for generating acluster of media locations based on media identifying informationreceived from a presentation of media at an unidentified media device;means for determining media devices available at the media locations inthe cluster of media locations; and means for identifying theunidentified media device based on (1) the media devices available atthe media locations in the cluster of media locations and (2) anidentity of a media device determined to be available in a majority ofmedia locations in the cluster of media locations.
 9. The apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the means for generating includes generating thecluster of media locations from a reference population of medialocations.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the referencepopulation of media locations includes at least one media location witha minimally invasive media meter.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8, whereinthe unidentified media device is at a first media location.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein a media meter at the first media locationis a minimally invasive media meter that does not include a directconnection to the unidentified media device.
 13. The apparatus of claim8, wherein an identity of the unidentified media device cannot bedirectly determined from the media identifying information received fromthe presentation of media.
 14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein themeans for generating further includes: comparing the media identifyinginformation received at a media location of a reference population ofmedia locations and a first media location of the unidentified mediadevice; and adding the media location of the reference population to thecluster of media locations when media identifying information receivedat the media location matches the first media location.
 15. Theapparatus of claim 8, wherein an identity of the unidentified mediadevice is credited via a media credit generated for the presentation ofmedia.
 16. An apparatus to detect media devices presenting media, theapparatus comprising: at least one memory; instructions in theapparatus; and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to:generate a cluster of media locations from a reference population ofmedia locations based on media identifying information received from apresentation of media at an unidentified media device at a first medialocation; determine media devices available at the media locations inthe cluster of media locations; identify the unidentified media devicebased on (1) the media devices available at the media locations in thecluster of media locations and (2) an identity of a media devicedetermined to be available in a majority of media locations in thecluster of media locations; and generate a report on the identity of theunidentified media device.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein amedia meter at the first media location is a minimally invasive mediameter that does not include a direct connection to the unidentifiedmedia device.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the referencepopulation of media locations includes at least one media location witha minimally invasive media meter.
 19. The apparatus of claim 16, whereinthe identity of the unidentified media device cannot be directlydetermined from the media identifying information received from thepresentation of media.
 20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein theprocessor circuitry is further to: compare the media identifyinginformation received at a media location of the reference population ofmedia locations and the first media location; and add the media locationof the reference population to the cluster of media locations when mediaidentifying information received at the media location matches the firstmedia location.